Definition of Final Crime Risk Assessment Mechanism to Measure the Risk of Theft of Electronic Products and Proof Them Against Theft

• NCJ Number: 215464
• Author(s): Dr. Rachel Armitage; Ron Clarke; Ken Pease; Ernesto Savona; Dr. Martina Montauti; Dr. Andrea Di Nicola
• Date Published: April 2006
• Length: 147 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: European Cmssn
• Corporate Author: Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science
• Sale Source: Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Downloaded September 1, 2006.

Annotation

This report presents the research conducted as part of a 2 year European project (Project Marc) to develop an assessment mechanism to measure the risk of theft for electronic products.

Abstract

Questionnaire results from stakeholders from four sectors--insurance, consumer organizations, law enforcement, and manufacturers of electronic products--resulted in the development of two checklists incorporating a variety of factors that might be used to assess the risk of theft for electronic products. The authors concluded that the crime vulnerability checklist developed by this project may be effectively used as a provisional measurement but that the security checklist that was developed is inappropriate because it may lead to limited security. Instead, a case-by-case assessment by domain experts is recommended. The report also presents a two-pronged approach to the rating of electronic products that borrows from the approaches used to ensure food standards. The authors recommend that the assessment mechanism (checklists) presented in this report be used as a tool to inform the labeling of consumer electronic products and that the European Commission should introduce two labeling systems in conjunction with continued publicity on the risk of electronic theft. Research involved mailing questionnaires to stakeholders from 10 European member states assessing their views of the level of risk of various electronic products and their views on what makes a product vulnerable. Data were analyzed using SPSS for statistical analyses. Questionnaire findings used to develop the checklists indicated that the crime risk assessment measure must: (1) measure both risk and protection to ensure the two are commensurate; (2) reflect the perspectives of those who would have to implement it; and (3) reflect the language of stakeholders from a variety of European states. The European Commission is advised to conduct further research on which makes and models of products are most likely stolen and on the circumstances of the theft and recovery. Tables, figures, appendixes, references